Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton said that the Nintendo DS, is nothing more than a kids-only "babysitting tool." He made the comments during a recent interview with CNN.

"Our view of the 'Game Boy experience' is that it's a great babysitting tool," Tretton said in a bruising chat with CNN, "something young kids do on airplanes, but no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that."

Not content to bag exclusively on the DS, Tretton also took shots at the Wii and Xbox 360.

"They're starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond," he insisted. "I mean, you've gotta be kidding me. Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? How does this thing scale? Motion gaming is cute, but if I can only wave my arms six inches, how does this really feel like I'm doing true accurate motion gaming?"

Apparently Sony's various platforms are just perfect.

"If you're really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform," he said. "Here we are four years into the Playstation 3, and it's just hitting its stride. We'll enjoy a long downhill roll behind it because the technology that was so cutting edge in 2006 is extremely relevant today and is conspicuously absent in our competition."

Comments

"'Game Boy experience' is that it's a great babysitting tool,""something young kids do on airplanes, but no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that."

Well, Jack, I happen to be a self respecting gamer who is turning 20 this year.At such an age, I believe I'm mature enough to be able to enjoy a game based on its own merits. In other words I judge a game based on its design and fun factor, not on how hip it is. I find it funny that your statement sounds like it came from a thirteen year old.

"They're starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond, I mean, you've gotta be kidding me. Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? "

I've got an answer to your question. When I go looking for a good games console, the only priority i have on my mind is "Does it have REALLY good exclusive games on it?", and thus I purchased the Wii based on Shiguru Miyamoto's track record of making fantastic games. Obiviously , Sony ignored this priority and instead raced to the finishing line for hardware. However in turn they ended making a system, that many developers didn't have the resources to take true advantage of. What's the point of designing overpriced hardware, which produces results that customers won't be able to tell apart from its much inferior competitors?

"If you're really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform," he said. "Here we are four years into the Playstation 3, and it's just hitting its stride. We'll enjoy a long downhill roll behind it because the technology that was so cutting edge in 2006 is extremely relevant today and is conspicuously absent in our competition."

Planning a system to have hardware that will still be relavant in 10 years time is pointless, given that the rapid growth of technology will ultimately beat it to a pulp. If you want a console to last a decade, you have to stop thinking about the hardware, and spend more time worrying about innovative software. Ten years after its release, people were still buying The Gameboy, and the reason was because they wanted Pokemon Red and Blue. Nevermind the fact that the system was based on an Intel 8080, great software was still being made for it. Maybe, you should focus your resources towards producing similar efforts. Hell, why not do it now before Nintendo actually goes ahead and confirms that Project Cafe is much more powerful than the PS3?

I recall Atari making some such remarks when they launched the Lynx, and Sega with the Game Gear and Nomad.

The truth of the matter is, it is the marketplace that decides the "winner" and "looser". Your not going to top the GB[AC] or the 3?DSi? unless you have a combination of better hardware, software, price and marketing.

Insulting your competitors IS a form of marketing, though. And while this strategy played out poorly for the Lynx, Game Gear, and Nomad, it worked pretty well for the Genesis for a few years. Sega did a good job of making the SNES seem uncool, and, for several years, the Genesis outsold the SNES in the US, despite having inferior hardware and, at least in my opinion, an inferior software library.

Heh, reminds me of that remark Nokia made about the GBA, back when they were launching their ill-fated gaming phone, the N-Gage. We all know how that went.

Not that there aren't some legitimate criticisms regarding the DS's and Wii's game library, especially the Wii's, but these remarks are just silly. He also makes the mistake of going beyond just insulting the competion, to insulting his own company's potential customers. I imagine a lot of the people interested in the PSP and NGP have/were at least somewhat interested in Nintendo's handhelds, and may not like being told that they aren't self-respecting.

"Heh, reminds me of that remark Nokia made about the GBA, back when they were launching their ill-fated gaming phone, the N-Gage. We all know how that went."

Or Nintendo saying the N64 was going to beat the PS1 because nobody wanted to wait for CD load times or play "slow and tedious" games like Final Fantasy 7. Or Atari's ill-conceived "If you don't buy a Jaguar, you're stupid" ad campaign. Or Sega's "Our handheld is in glorious color! (never mind that it gets 2 hours of life off 6 batteries)" strategy.

This isn't news, it's the same old song. One vendor talks trash about another. In the old days they at least had to pay money for advertising; it's frankly a little disappointing that now they can count on sites like GP to repeat whatever idiocy they spew like it's news instead of free publicity.

Responding to a controversial statement somebody made just to get attention? There's a name for that. It's called feeding a troll.

And even the most hardcore Nintendo fan (me) would agree that there are legitimate complaints about the Nintendo library. On the other hand, What other system doesn't have its own share of shovelware? Sure, Nintendo has more, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have just as mean blockbuster titles as other systems.

....wow. Just wow. In all my years, i never imagined a Sony head repeating the words of thirteen-year-old trolls in a slightly more "nice" tone. Using the kiddy card, and claiming the others are worthless because they don't use the total "up to date package." Because apparently, that's the only factor that can make a fun game. Yep. Srsly.

Though that was back when video games were in even more of a "just for kids" phase than they are now. That plus there was technically a lot more competition around, so smack talk was a lot more commonplace.

Sony, however, thinks they're being "hip" and "edgy" with Butler and Marcus, insulting the competition, while the other two are focussing a bit more on the actual GAMES. But that kind of talk got stale by the time of the last console generation before the one we're in now. I expect a little bit of smack talk from developer chiefs and, you know, the lesser knowns. *coughDaikatanacough* But the head of an entire regional hardware company? I'm sorry, but i expect to see something resembling profressionalism from a figurehead like that.

"Our view of the 'Game Boy experience' is that it's a great babysitting tool," Tretton said in a bruising chat with CNN, "something young kids do on airplanes, but no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that."

I am 31 years old. I My first Gameboy system was the Gameboy colour. Then I got the Gameboy Advance, then the Gameboy Advance SP. Finally I have the DS Lite. I have a PSP. I got it just after the release of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Shortly afterwards I started using it as a MP3 player as well. Especially as I am playing games on my Gameboy Advance SP or the DS Lite. These days I enjoy playing any one of the Zelda, Mario, and Final Fantasy remakes, or the Phoenix Wright games on my DS as I ride on the bus, or on a long car trip, or because it's 3pm on a Friday. And my PSP has become a glorified MP3 player. Oooh, BURN!!

And while I am here expressing love for my Nintendo DS Lite, I should remind you that I am 31 years old. These people @ Sony are really, really, REALLY trying to make me hate their products arn't they?

Okay, reading the rest of the Article...

"They're starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond," he insisted. "I mean, you've gotta be kidding me. Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? How does this thing scale? Motion gaming is cute, but if I can only wave my arms six inches, how does this really feel like I'm doing true accurate motion gaming?"

Gee, I don't know. Most of the systems I own doesn't have a hard drive. My PS2 doesn't have one. My 360 has a hard drive I bought seperatly, and it hasn't bothered me in the least. It has RROD problems right now. I'll get my 360 fixed or replaced with another 360 before I buy a new PS3 from that smug asshole. I'll wait and get one used from Gamestop. That way, they won't see a dime of my money. You insult your customers, then thats what you get.

"If you're really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform," he said. "Here we are four years into the Playstation 3, and it's just hitting its stride. We'll enjoy a long downhill roll behind it because the technology that was so cutting edge in 2006 is extremely relevant today and is conspicuously absent in our competition."

Hey that's cool, cause that slow start where PS3 systems sat on shelves for..oh..six months because of that stupid $500 or so price tag didn't happen. I was just as happy with my PS2, and with the 360, oh, and the various Nintendo systems I own. Especially the ones you label as 'kiddie toys'.

Hey Sony! How's this for an insult? I think the NES is better than your stupid PS3!! I can actually own that! I'm not renting it from Nintendo!! Even though I bought it for $35 bucks at a pawn shop!!

The irony is that it seems nowadays that only little kids want a PSP anymore, while grown-ups are playing the DS systems and 3DS. Kids only want a PSP for the M-Rated games like GTA that they're not supposed to have anyway. Forbidden Fruit Theory at its finest.

And I would like to put my own foot into Jack Tretton's own mouth. Of course, he'll probably say I can't really own my foot, and that the inner workings are God's property.

Thad: I own a DS and not a PSP myself, but some people buy one and some buy the other -- and some buy both. Saying one side or the other is just for kids is childish -- and that's the REAL irony here.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I hate my PSP and I do play games on it. I have a small library for it. I'm jonsing for that Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection that is comming out next week. I love these remakes, cuz they are the Final Fantasy games they managed to do right imo. I have the first gen PSP. I should upgrade it a bit so I can have better battery life on it. I bought Gran Turismo a few months back and it can wipe out a charge, like it does when I connect it to the internet. When I use it as a mp3 player the charge last almost for days. I guess it's because the screen is off most of the time. The fact that my PSP can play Itunes and Napster music is another huge plus in my book. (At least untill Sony decides it doesn't want me to listen to it, and makes it so I can't anymore.))

I love my PS2. I bought it used at GameStop for about the same price I bought the NES at the local pawn shop. $35-$40. I still have plenty of PS2 games that I still love to play, I like Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 on it as well as the GTA III era of games.

Finally I talked my last post over with a roomate, and he sorts of understands. When asked about the compititions, he wouldn't be showing love towards them. I really understand that, but what happened to not talking about them?

Jack Tretton: "Nintendo? I can't really talk about them. All I can say is that we are trying to do all we can to bring top notch products to our customers. I can't really control what company X, Y, or Z is doing, etc.

If the lower level employes can't talk about 'The leading competitor', then neither should the top brass.

- W

edit - grammar fix

Consumer responsibility is just as important as Corporate responsibility. So, be responsible consumers.

I like his recent argument that all new consoles need to be top-of-the line- I guess because such devices need to be exclusive to certain customers (who have enough money to buy it) and certain game developers (who give enough of a shit to produce games that take full advantage of the hardware, something only a sliver of a fraction of game developers actually do).

And it's not as if they're going in the right direction with customers, either, with their policy of "make everyone feel like a criminal by making it clear we don't trust them from the start". It's nothing short of a huge "FUCK YOU" when Sony tries telling people what customers want, or what they'll do.

*smirk* self respecting 20 somethings will do fine.. it is the insecure 'oh noes! what if people think this is a kiddy thing! must look grown up in front of the others!' ones that might worry about it.

Shout box

Infophile: @Matt: Apparently Dan Aykroyd actually is involved. We don't know how yet, though, but he's apparently going to be in the movie in some way.08/02/2015 - 4:17am

Mattsworkname: I still hold that not having the origonal cast invovled in any way hurts this movie, and unless the 4 actresses in the lead roles can some how measure up to the comic timing of the origonal cast, i just don't see it being a success08/02/2015 - 12:46am

Mattsworkname: Mecha: regardless of what you think of it, GB 2 was a finanical success and for it time did well with audiances ,even if it wasnt as popular as the first08/02/2015 - 12:45am

MechaTama31: I think they're better off trying to do something different, than trying to be exactly the same and having every little difference held up as a shortcoming. Uncanny valley.08/01/2015 - 11:57pm

MechaTama31: Having the original cast didn't do much for... that pink-slimed atrocity which we must never speak of.08/01/2015 - 11:56pm

Mattsworkname: Andrew: If the new ghostbusters bombs, I cant help but feel it'll be cause it removed the origonal cast and changed the formula to much08/01/2015 - 8:31pm

Andrew Eisen: Not the best look but that appears to be a PKE meter hanging from McCarthy's belt.08/01/2015 - 7:34pm

Mattsworkname: You know what game is a lot of fun? rocket league. It' s a soccer game thats actually fun to play cause your A Freaking CAR!08/01/2015 - 7:02pm

Mattsworkname: Nomad colossus did a little video about it, showing the world and what can be explored in it's current form. It's worth a look, and he uses text for commentary as not to break the immerison08/01/2015 - 5:49pm

Mattsworkname: I feel some more mobility would have made it more interesting and I feel that a larger more diverse landscape with better graphiscs would help, but as a concept, it interests me08/01/2015 - 5:48pm

Andrew Eisen: Huh. I guess I'll have to check out a Let's Play to get a sense of the game.08/01/2015 - 5:47pm

Mattsworkname: It did, I found the idea of exploring a world at it's end, exploring the abandoned city of a disappeared alien race and the planets various knooks and crannies intriqued me.08/01/2015 - 5:46pm

Andrew Eisen: Did it appeal to you? If so, what did you find appealing?08/01/2015 - 5:43pm

Mattsworkname: Its an interesting concept, but it's not gonna appeal to everyone thats for sure,08/01/2015 - 5:40pm

Andrew Eisen: That sounds horrifically boring. Doesn't sound like an interesting use of its time dilation premise either. 08/01/2015 - 5:36pm

Mattsworkname: an observer , seeing this sorta frozen world and being able to explore without any restriction other then time. no enimes, no threats, just the chance to explore08/01/2015 - 5:34pm

Mattsworkname: Andrew: I meant lifeless planet, Time frame is an exploration game. Your dropped onto a world which is gonna be hit by a metor in 10 seconds, but due to time dilation ,you actually have ten minutes, so you can explore the world, in it's last moments, as08/01/2015 - 5:32pm